Just Meant To Be
by projectrunwayluver
Summary: Luna Lovegood has been called Loony ever since she started at Hogwarts. What happens to her when she actually makes friends for the first time during her fourth year? What happens when one boy understands the pain of being teased? The lives of Luna Lovegood and Neville Longbottom will be completely changed when Dumbledore's Army starts. AU. OOTP to DH. Sorry no lemons.
1. Chapter 1

**AN: So I've been thinking about Neville a lot lately and how awesome he is. To be perfectly honest its very hard to find a good Neville Fanfic so I've decided to make my own. Besides he deserves a good story and I think Luna will be good for him. I will go back and forth between Neville and Luna's perspectives in this story and it will go from Order of the Phoenix to the Deathly Hallows. In other words it will end up being long. I want to thank **_**Anotherboarduser**_** for giving me the idea to have Neville and Luna together. Once again anything you recognize is JK Rowling's anything you don't is mine.**

_**Luna POV**_

I walked towards the train a copy of the_ Quibbler_ held tightly in one hand, my other pulling my trunk and my wand was tucked behind my ear to keep it safe. The last this I needed was to lose my wand... again. Losing it once had been bad enough.

"Look there's Loony Lovegood," someone whispered then giggled. I turned slowly, making sure my eyes were as wide as possible. For some reason my unfortunately large silvery gray eyes made people nervous. It was a sixth year girl with dark hair. I smiled slowly at her and continued to the train as if nothing had happened.

It was easy to find an empty compartment since I had left so early. Father had been busy coming out with a new issue. He had kissed me on my forehead then sent me on the knight bus. To be perfectly honest I hadn't liked it. Made me rather nauseous actually.

I opened one of the compartments that was empty and took a seat. It was nice to have a compartment to myself. I unfolded my copy of the _Quibbler_ and promptly flipped it upside down. There was an article on Ancient Runes and that there was a hidden spell within then that you could use it to turn your enemy's ears into kumquats. A rather brilliant idea.

I was just starting to make some headway on the curse when the compartment door slid open. My eyes darted up and a small smile curved my lips. It was Ginny Weasley and she was one of the few who actually stood up for me.

"Hi, Luna," Ginny said, "is it okay if we take these seats?"

My eyes flicked over to the two other boys who had followed her in. One had dark messy hair and glasses that were taped. It was Harry, Harry Potter. His famous scar barely peaked out from between his hair but it was still noticeable. He was hated at the moment since he had told everyone that Voldemort was back. I believed him. He had no reason to lie.

The other boy was somewhat tall with blonde hair. His face was on the rounder side and he seemed to be a little bit thicker around the middle. I narrowed my eyes at him... he looked familiar.

After a moment I nodded to Ginny, yes they could stay. Hopefully I wasn't making a huge mistake. I watched as the three of them came into the small compartment. Ginny sat next to me while Harry sat across from me. His eyes were trained on me then turned to look at the other boy who was pointedly looking the other way.

"Had a good summer, Luna?" Ginny asked.

"Yes," I said simply, without taking my eyes off Harry. "Yes, it was quite enjoyable, you know. _You're _Harry Potter."

"I know I am," Harry said his eyebrows drawing together.

The other boy laughed and I turned to look at him. A slight flush crossed his cheeks. "And I don't know who you are."

"I'm nobody," the boy said quickly. I felt my stomach drop like a stone. He thought I was weird too.

"No you're not," Ginny said sharply with a pointed glare. "Neville Longbottom – Luna Lovegood. Luna's in my year, but in Ravenclaw."

"_Wit_ _beyond measure is man's greatest treasure_," I said in a little singsong voice. Neville and Harry exchanged a look before turning back to me.

I raised the Quibbler back up after a moment and started to read again. The others started to talk again after a little bit about some plant Neville had gotten for his birthday. To be perfectly honest it looked repulsive and disgusting. It was gray and what looked like large boils. I was about to ask what its name was when Neville poked it sharply with a quill.

Liquid squirted from every boil on the plant; thick, stinking, dark green jets of it. They hit the ceiling, the windows, and spattered my magazine; Ginny, who had flung her arms up in front of her face just in time, merely looked as though she was wearing a slimy green hat, but Harry, whose hands had been busy preventing Trevor's escape, received a faceful. It smelled like rancid manure.

Neville, whose face and torso were also drenched, shook his head to get the worst out of his eyes.

"S-sorry," he gasped. 'I haven't tried that before… didn't realize it would be quite so… don't worry, though, Stinksap's not poisonous," he added nervously, as Harry spat a mouthful on to the floor. I shook my magazine and watched as the Stinksap slid off.

At that precise moment the door of their compartment slid open. It was the girl who had called me Loony. I pointedly looked out the window.

"Oh… hello, Harry," she said in a nervous voice. "Urn… bad time?"

"Oh… hi," Harry said blankly his cheeks flushing.

"Urn…" the girl said. "Well… just thought I'd say hello… bye then."

Rather pink in the face, she closed the door and departed. Harry slumped back in his seat and groaned. I raised my eyebrows before turning back to the _Quibbler_.

"Never mind," Ginny said briskly. "Look, we can easily get rid of all this." She pulled out her wand. "_Scourgify_!"

The Stinksap vanished.

"Sorry," Neville said again, in a small voice. The three of them started talking about Quidditch and I turned back to my magazine. The smiling witch with the trolley came by and I got some ice mice, they were my favorite. Neville and Harry were swapping chocolate frog cards when the compartment door opened again. It was a boy and a girl. The boy I'm fairly was Ginny's brother since they had the same red hair. But the girl. I didn't recognize her. She had a pretty smile and large bushy hair.

The boy and girl started to talk with Harry about a prefect meeting. They were listing all of the new prefects. One of the names they mentioned I recognized. Padma Patil. A very nice girl who had stuck up for me before many times. A thought came to me and I looked up at the red haired boy.

"You went to the Yule Ball with Padma Patil," I said slowly.

Everyone turned to look at me and I stared at the boy unblinkingly. He swallowed his mouthful of chocolate Frog before responding.

"Yeah, I know I did," he said, looking mildly surprised.

"She didn't enjoy it very much," I informed him. "She doesn't think you treated her very well, because you wouldn't dance with her. I don't think I'd have minded," I added thoughtfully, "I don't like dancing very much."

Everyone was staring at me in various forms of shock. After an uncomfortable moment I turned back to the magazine. The rest of the ride seemed uneventful. Hermione, that was the bushy haired girls name, insulted the Quibbler and some mean Slytherins were making snide comments to Harry. Hermione pushed them out of the compartment her hair almost sparking with her anger. Ron, the red haired boy, ate more chocolate frogs than I could in a week.

Once we got closer to Hogwarts we all got our uniforms on. Neville slid his cactus looking plant back into his back and Hermione pinned her prefect badge on her shirt. I grabbed the cage of a small owl that kept hooting shrilly. Ron nodded at me in thanks and made his way out into the hallway. I followed slowly and made my way down the steps. One of the many thestrals that pulled the carriages turned towards me and fluttered its wings.

I was back. A smile slid across my face. I was back to my favorite place in the world. Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. One of the few places I actually felt safe.

**AN: Please Review! Tell me what you love, what you hate, anything. It helps me know where to go with the stories from your reviews.**


	2. Chapter 2

** AN: So I have eight different Fanfics going and it will be difficult to update one specific story multiple times in one week. Its just a little warning for the future. If you have any specific pairings that you would like to see just ask and I'll see if I can make it work. Once again anything you recognize is JK Rowling's anything you don't is mine.**

_**Luna POV**_

I sat next to the Gryffindors in the carriage. Neville kept looking at me nervously, his eyes wide. Was he scared of me?

"Did everyone see that Grubbly-Plank woman?" Ginny asked. "What's she doing back here Hagrid can't have left, can he?"

"I'll be quite glad if he has," I said absently, "he isn't a very good teacher, is he?"

"Yes, he is!" Harry, Ron and Ginny snapped angrily. I looked at all of them surprised, they were kidding right?

Harry glared at Hermione. She cleared her throat and quickly said, "Erm… yes… he's very good."

"Well, we in Ravenclaw think he's a bit of a joke," I said with a little shrug.

"You've got a rubbish sense of humour then," Ron snapped, as the wheels below us creaked

into motion. I looked him over. What made him like Professor Hagrid so much? Maybe it was his personality?

The carriage continued up to the castle. I stared out the window and looked up at the stars. They were absolutely gorgeous. I loved the stars, always had. There was just something about them.

The carriage stopped and I carefully stepped out of the carriage. I did not want to fall out like I had last year. The Thestral turned to look at me and I smiled at it. They really were beautiful creatures.

"Are you coming or what?" Ron snapped loudly. I turned around and smiled sadly at Harry, he could see the Thestrals too.

"Oh… yeah," Harry said turning around slowly. His eyes widened when he realized I could see them too.

"Don't worry... I can see them too." I said with a little smile of reassurance. He paled and quickly ran up the steps into the castle.

I followed after Harry up the steps but was stopped by a hand on my arm.

"Can you really see them?" Neville asked softly his eyes wide.

"I've been able to see them since my first year." I said simply tilting my head to the side.

"What? How?" He asked looking confused.

"Its only people who've seen death that can see them." I said with a little shrug of my shoulders then ran up the steps. The great hall was just as beautiful as usual, the gold plates glittering brilliantly in the light. I sat at the Ravenclaw next to Helena Ravenclaw, the Ravenclaw ghost. She was just as shy as I could be sometimes.

She and I talked quietly while she avoided the Bloody Baron's black staring eyes.

"Hey Luna," Padma Patil said sitting across from me.

"Hi Padma, congratulations on becoming a prefect." I said nodding at her badge.

"Thanks, how was your summer?" She asked tilting her head slightly. I told all about Daddy and I experimenting on Gurdyroots and finding the best way to make it taste better because honestly it tasted like moldy raisins even though it was good for you.

Padma shushed me suddenly and I turned around. The first years were nervously walking in looking around in awe. McGonagall placed the sorting hat on a chair in front of the students.

Everyone waited quietly. What would the sorting hat say this year? Then the rip near the hat's brim opened wide like a mouth and the Sorting Hat burst into song:

_In times of old when I was new And Hogwarts barely started _

_The founders of our noble school _

_Thought never to be parted: United by a common goal,_

_They had the selfsame yearning,_

_To make the world's best magic school_

_And pass along their learning._

_'Together we will build and teach!'_

_The four good friends decided_

_And never did they dream that they_

_Might some day be divided,_

_For were there such friends anywhere_

_As Slytherin and Gryffindor?_

_Unless it was the second pair_

_Of Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw?_

_So how could it have gone so wrong?_

_How could such friendships fail?_

_Why, I was there and so can tell_

_The whole sad, sorry tale._

_Said Slytherin, 'We'll teach just those_

_Whose ancestry is purest.'_

_Said Ravenclaw, 'We'll teach those whose_

_Intelligence is surest.'_

_Said Gryffindor, 'We'll teach all those_

_With brave deeds to their name,'_

_Said Hufflepuff, Til teach the lot,_

_And treat them just the same.'_

_These differences caused little strife  
>When first they came to light,<em>

_For each of the four founders had_

_A house in which they might_

_Take only those they wanted, so,_

_For instance, Slytherin_

_Took only pure-blood wizards_

_Of great cunning, just like him,_

_And only those of sharpest mind_

_Were taught by Ravenclaw_

_While the bravest and the boldest_

_Went to daring Gryffindor._

_Good Hufflepuff, she took the rest,_

_And taught them all she knew,_

_Thus the houses and their founders_

_Retained friendships firm and true._

_So Hogwarts worked in harmony_

_For several happy years,_

_But then discord crept among us_

_Feeding on our faults and fears._

_The houses that, like pillars four,_

_Had once held up our school,_

_Now turned upon each other and,_

_Divided, sought to rule._

_And for a while it seemed the school_

_Must meet an early end,_

_What with dueling and with fighting_

_And the clash of friend on friend_

_And at last there came a morning_

_When old Slytherin departed_

_And though the fighting then died out_

_He left us quite downhearted._

_And never since the founders four_

_Were whittled down to three_

_Have the houses been united_

_As they once were meant to be._

_And now the Sorting Hat is here_

_And you all know the score:_

_I sort you into houses_

_Because that is what I'm for,_

_But this year I'll go further,_

_Listen closely to my song:_

_Though condemned I am to split you_

_Still I worry that it's wrong,_

_Though I must fulfill my duty_

_And must quarter every year_

_Still I wonder whether Sorting_

_May not bring the end I fear._

_Oh, know the perils, read the signs,_

_The warning history shows,_

_For our Hogwarts is in danger_

_From external, deadly foes_

_And we must unite inside her_

_Or we'll crumble from within_

_I have told you, I have warned you…_

_Let the Sorting now begin._

Padma and I exchanged surprised looks. I guess the hat decided it was its duty to tell the students what was best to keep us strong. I was in so much shock I barely heard the sorting of the first years. One of the new girls sat next to me with a little smile.

Finally Dumbledore stood up.

"To our newcomers," Dumbledore said in a ringing voice, his arms stretched wide and a beaming smile on his lips, "welcome! To our old hands – welcome back! There is a time for speech-making, but this is not it. Tuck in!"

Padma and I talked quietly about classes while the first year girl, Evie, kept looking around nervously.

"Are you excited for classes?" I asked Evie.

"Yes but I'm afraid I won't do well." She said looking around nervously.

"What? Why?" Padma asked looking confused.

"Because I'm Muggle-born." She muttered blushing.

"Oh it'll be fine, everyone starts from the same place." I said reassuringly.

Suddenly Dumbledore stood up from his spot and the great hall grew quiet. "Well, now that we are all digesting another magnificent feast, I beg a few moments of your attention for the usual start-of-term notices," said Dumbledore. "First-years ought to know that the Forest in the grounds is out-of-bounds to students – and a few of our older students ought to know by now, too.

"Mr Filch, the caretaker, has asked me, for what he tells me is the four-hundred-and-sixty-second time, to remind you all that magic is not permitted in corridors between classes, nor are a number of other things, all of which can be checked on the extensive list now fastened to Mr Filch's office door.

"We have had two changes in staffing this year. We are very pleased to welcome back Professor Grubbly-Plank, who will be taking Care of Magical Creatures lessons; we are also delighted to introduce Professor Umbridge, our new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher."

There was a round of polite but fairly unenthusiastic applause, while other students stared at the strange woman. She looked like a little, fat, pink toad.

Dumbledore continued, "Tryouts for the house Quidditch teams will take place on the –"

He stopped and turned to Umbridge who had rudely cleared her throat. Some of the students looked shocked while the teachers looked furious. I had never heard any new teacher interrupt Dumbledore before.

"Thank you, Headmaster," Professor Umbridge simpered, "for those kind words of welcome." Her voice was high-pitched, breathy and little-girlish. Something about it made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up.

"Well, it is lovely to be back at Hogwarts, I must say!" She smiled, revealing very pointed teeth. "And to see such happy little faces looking up at me!"

I looked around, no one was smiling.

"I am very much looking forward to getting to know you all and I'm sure we'll be very good friends!" Students exchanged looks at this; some of them were barely concealing grins. Was she nuts?

Umbridge cleared her throat again.

"The Ministry of Magic has always considered the education of young witches and wizards to be of vital importance. The rare gifts with which you were born may come to nothing if not nurtured and honed by careful instruction. The ancient skills unique to the wizarding community must be passed down the generations lest we lose them tor ever. The treasure trove of magical knowledge amassed by our ancestors must be guarded, replenished and polished by those who have been called to the noble profession of teaching."

Professor Umbridge paused here and made a little bow to her fellow staff members, none of whom bowed back to her. Professor McGonagall's dark eyebrows had contracted so that she looked positively hawklike, and I watched as she exchanged a significant glance with Professor Sprout. Umbridge gave another little '_hem, hem' _and went on with her speech.

"Every headmaster and headmistress of Hogwarts has brought something new to the weighty task of governing this historic school, and that is as it should be, for without progress there will be stagnation and decay. There again, progress for progress's sake must be discouraged, for our tried and tested traditions often require no tinkering. A balance, then, between old and new, between permanence and change, between tradition and innovation…"

This woman liked to talk way too much. I pulled my edition of the Quibbler and shared it with Evie who looked bored to tears. We giggled over some of the pictures in here. Daddy did a good job with this issue.

"Thank you very much, Professor Umbridge, that was most illuminating," Dumbledore suddenly said, I looked up just in time to see him bow to her. "Now, as I was saying, Quidditch tryouts will be held…"

"Yes, it certainly was illuminating," Padma said in a low voice.

"You're not telling me you enjoyed it?" Evie said quietly, turning a glazed face towards Padma. "That was about the dullest speech I've ever heard."

"I said illuminating, not enjoyable," Padma said. "It explained a lot."

"Did it?" I said in surprise. "Sounded like a load of waffle to me."

"There was some important stuff hidden in the waffle," Padma said grimly.

"Was there?" Evie asked blankly.

"How about: 'progress for progress's sake must be discouraged'? How about: 'pruning wherever we find practices that ought to be prohibited'?"

"Well, what does that mean?' Evie asked tilting her head to the side.

"I'll tell you what it means," Padma growled through gritted teeth. "It means the Ministry's interfering at Hogwarts."

**AN: Please Review! It helps much more than you realize.**


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